Romiti A, Zullo A, Borrini F, Sarcina I, Hassan C, Winn S, Tomao S, Vecchione A, Morini S, Mingazzini P. Relationship between β-catenin expression and epithelial cell proliferation in gastric mucosa with intestinal metaplasia.
World J Gastroenterol 2005;
11:4400-3. [PMID:
16038041 PMCID:
PMC4434669 DOI:
10.3748/wjg.v11.i28.4400]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM: To investigate β-catenin expression in patients with intestinal metaplasia, and to look for a possible relationship between β-catenin expression and either epithelial proliferation values or Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infection.
METHODS: Twenty patients with complete type intestinal metaplasia were studied. β-catenin expression and epithelial cell proliferation in antral mucosa were assessed using an immunohistochemical analysis. H pylori infection was detected by histology and a rapid urease test.
RESULTS: Reduced β-catenin expression on the surface of metaplastic cells was detected in 13 (65%) out of 20 patients. Moreover, in eight (40%) patients intranuclear expression of β-catenin was found. When patients were analyzed according to H pylori infection, the prevalence of both β-catenin reduction at the cell surface and its intranuclear localization did not significantly differ between infected and uninfected patients. Cell proliferation was higher in patients with intranuclear β-catenin expression as compared to the remaining patients, although the difference failed to reach the statistical significance (36 ± 8.9 vs 27.2 ± 11.4, P = 0.06). On the contrary, a similar cell proliferation value was observed between patients with reduced expression of β-catenin on cell surface and those with a normal expression (28.1 ± 11.8 vs 26.1 ± 8.8, P = 0.7). H pylori infection significantly increased cell proliferation (33.3 ± 10.2% vs 24.6 ± 7.4%, respectively, P = 0.04).
CONCLUSION: Both cell surface reduction and intranuclear accumulation of β-catenin were detected in intestinal metaplasia. The intranuclear localization of β-catenin increases cell proliferation. H pylori infection does not seem to play a direct role in β-catenin alterations, whilst it significantly increases cell proliferation.
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